Insulation and Protection

Where the outer sheath of a multi-core cable is stripped back and the cores fan out, the crutch is the weakest point for water entry. Gala's INSULCORE LV breakout seals it.

The breakout is a moulded cross-linked polyolefin boot with a body that fits over the cable sheath and one finger for each core. It is lined with hot-melt adhesive and supplied expanded. Slide it over the crutch with one core through each finger, then shrink it with a propane (preferred) or butane torch, starting at the centre of the body and working out towards the fingers. It recovers above 125 °C. When fitted correctly the surface is smooth and adhesive shows at the ends of the body and fingers, giving a permanent moisture-proof seal at the crutch. Work only on de-energised circuits.

The range covers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7-core PVC, XLPE, rubber and PILC cables rated up to 1.1 kV, including five sizes with two different finger sizes for cables whose cores are not all the same size. Each code states supplied and recovered body and finger diameters, so the breakout is chosen from the sheath diameter and the core diameter of the cable. Custom dimensions can be made on request.

Breakouts are used in LV cable terminations and at cable entries into panels, motors and equipment. The material is cross-linked polyolefin with a guaranteed 12 N/mm2 tensile strength and a continuous temperature limit of -40 to +100 °C. Gala is an ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified manufacturer.

Manufactured by Gala in India. Datasheet and size selection on request.

Where a pre-insulated pipe ends, the foam insulation between the outer casing and the carrier pipe is exposed. If water gets in, the insulation loses its value and the steel underneath starts to corrode. Gala's pre-insulated pipe sealing cap closes that end.

The cap is moulded from cross-linked polyolefin and lined with hot-melt adhesive (mastic). Its large body shrinks onto the outer casing, and its outlet shrinks onto the carrier pipe where it leaves the insulation. GPPC1 caps have one outlet for single-pipe systems; GPPC2 caps have two outlets for twin-pipe systems.

Installation is done with a propane torch. Clean and abrade the casing and the carrier pipe, pre-heat both to at least 60 °C (checked with a temperature-indicating stick), remove the release paper, push the cap into place and shrink it: casing first, then the step and the outlet, until the cap is smooth with no air pockets or lifted edges. The caps can be fitted in the factory, so the pipe end is already protected while pipes are transported and stored on site.

Typical users are manufacturers and installers of pre-insulated pipe for district heating and cooling, water pipelines and oil and gas lines. The range runs from small single-outlet caps to a cap with a 570 mm supplied bore, and every size is listed with its supplied and recovered diameters so the right cap can be chosen from the casing and carrier pipe diameters. Gala is an ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified manufacturer.

Manufactured by Gala in India. Datasheet and size selection on request.

Gala Mastic Tape is a cold-applied butyl sealant made for use with heat shrink cable joint and termination kits. Applied under or between heat shrink parts, it fills gaps and seals against water and weather, so the finished joint or termination stays dry. It is supplied as pre-cut strips or as rolls on a silicone-coated paper liner.

Three grades do three jobs. Black mastic (HBMT) seals LV and MV joints and terminations, and is also used for sealing telecom installations. Red mastic (HRMT) gives a watertight seal on breakout boots, non-tracking tube and lugs in MV terminations. Yellow stress control mastic (HSCM) fills voids at connectors and screen cuts in MV joints and terminations to relieve electrical stress.

Black strips are 35 mm wide and 2.5 mm thick in lengths from 100 to 450 mm, with rolls from 0.6 m to 25 m. Red strips and rolls come in 20 to 50 mm widths, mostly 1.7 mm thick. Yellow comes in two strip sizes. Black and red typical values include a service temperature of -20 to +90 degC and minimum dielectric strength of 6 kV/mm (black) and 10 kV/mm (red).

Black and red mastic were screened by XRF at an external laboratory in April 2025, and cadmium, lead, mercury, chromium and bromine were not detected.

Buyers include cable jointers, contractors and accessory assemblers who need mastic for kits, repairs and spares.

Manufactured by Gala in India. Datasheet and size selection on request.

BUSBOOT Vinyl is Gala's flexible PVC insulating boot, or shroud, for bolted busbar joints and switchgear connections. Insulating the joints, as well as the busbar runs, reduces the air clearance a panel needs around them. That lets switchgear and panel builders design more compact panels and save on busbar length and sheet metal; Gala's own view is that the saving in switchgear components outweighs the cost of the boots.

The boot is moulded from specially formulated PVC to fit the shape of a joint. It is placed over the bolted joint and closed along its flanges with the fasteners supplied, without heat or tools, and it can be removed and refitted as often as needed for maintenance. An overlapping design gives extra protection against flashover at the closure.

Gala's standard-designs catalogue lists more than a thousand existing GES designs for busbars from 10 mm to 280 mm wide, in L-centred, L off-centred, straight centred, straight off-centred, T-centred, T off-centred, drop-link, T and L with 90° riser and standoff-insulator shapes, each with its dimensions. For any other joint, a new design can be developed from the customer's drawing, often within a week, with low tooling cost. Wall thickness is chosen by system voltage, from 1.25 mm at 3.3 kV to 3.0 mm at 24 kV.

Manufactured by Gala in India. Datasheet and size selection on request.

Gala's silicone overhead line cover (GSOC) is a split silicone rubber hose fitted over a bare overhead conductor in the field. The installer opens the split at one end, places it over the conductor and rolls the cover along the span. It wraps around the conductor and overlaps itself along its length, so no heat, adhesive or special tool is needed. An installation tool and silicone self-fusing tape (63.5 mm wide, 0.76 mm thick) are offered as optional items.

Once fitted, the cover adds a layer of insulation between phases and between phase and earth. It is used where birds, squirrels and other wildlife, tree branches or wind-blown debris can bridge bare conductors and cause flashovers, outages and the death of the animal: in substations, on jumpers and leads, on spans near trees and on lines through wildlife areas. Covering an existing line this way avoids replacing the conductor or adding line hardware.

The cover is made in four wall grades. GSOC-M has a 2.0 mm wall and is catalogued for systems up to 12 kV; GSOC-H (2.7 mm) and GSOC-H3 (3.0 mm) are catalogued for systems up to 36 kV; GSOC-EH has a 5.0 mm wall. Each grade comes in six sizes, for conductors up to 15, 20, 24, 28, 32 and 38 mm diameter. Silicone rubber keeps the cover flexible, so it can be installed down to 0 °C, and it is UV, ozone and tracking resistant for long outdoor service.

Manufactured by Gala in India. Datasheet and size selection on request.